Reel spin issue

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geordy55
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Reel spin issue

Post by geordy55 »

Hi, I’ve got a pseudo Mills mech and for some reason the sliding arm that controls the braking does not retract the full length of the slot with the result that the first reel stops almost immediately.
Can anyone advise on any method of adjustment? I’m comparing it with a genuine Mills mech and cannot work out why one retracts fully while the other does not.
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badpenny
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Re: Reel spin issue

Post by badpenny »

I can only focus on your avatar
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geordy55
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Re: Reel spin issue

Post by geordy55 »

Better ? Now got any suggestions ?
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coppinpr
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Re: Reel spin issue

Post by coppinpr »

Most likely you need to look to the back of the machine. It could well be the parts that load the clock are not moving the full length. This usually results in the bar on the back to the left not dropping into place. (This would only be a clue and possibly not the reason you are having problems, but it's a place to start.)
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geordy55
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Re: Reel spin issue

Post by geordy55 »

Coppin, I’ve had the whole mech stripped down, cleaned and rebuilt. Everything seems the same as my other mills mechanism except for this one issue. It’s got me stumped as I cannot see anything that could be adjusted or re-set to gain more movement.
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badpenny
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Re: Reel spin issue

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geordy55 wrote: Tue Sep 24, 2019 9:30 pm Better ? Now got any suggestions ?
No I preferred the other.
Anyway, if you stop pulling the handle a fraction before the dog and anvil trip over is the bar not far enough forward to lift the legs on all three stops?

If so, can you physically push the bar further forward to pick them all up? If so look at the far end of the bar where it connects to the slide trip. If it's loose there see if you put a bush into the pivot to take up the slack. Also (as Paul indicates) look at the back where the main pivot axle twists and see if you can shorten the gap between the limb on that axle and the connecting arm on the clock so it starts to push it earlier. I have seen occasions when somebody has drilled and tapped the reset limb on the back axle to take a bolt that could be wound in to take up the gap.

However if the bar can not physically be pushed further over to lift all three stops then you may need to be more manufacturing in your approach. It's possible a non pedigree part has been introduced from a later machine or the whole thing is a bit of a clone. It's also worth remembering that it was often the final quality inspector at the factory armed with a big hammer, pliers and levers that actually got everything to marry up as intended. You might have to mimic that.
Brazing a longer tag onto the existing one that lifts the errant stop for example if smacking hell out of the bottom of the leg of the stop so it bends towards meeting the bar earlier as it travels towards it.
My Extraordinary drops the first reel stop 1 - 1.5 seconds after the dog and anvil trip over.

Although I know what I'm waffling about I don't expect much of this to make 100% sense, feel free to shout if you want.
Also change back your avatar.

BP :cool:

ps- Just thought, it depends on the type of linkage used from the clock to the slide bar, you may be able to substitute it for a longer one to give more reach. Unless it's a direct connection, it might be a newer clock in which case they don't all do that. I can check mine tomorrow.
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geordy55
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Re: Reel spin issue

Post by geordy55 »

Thanks BP. I can physically push the bar all the way back into the slot and this will pick up all 3 brake shoes, but it doesn’t do it on its own.

I’ll have a look at the mech again tonight, but I compared it with my other Mills and all connecting linkages seem the same.
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badpenny
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Re: Reel spin issue

Post by badpenny »

OK, then …..

Your options as I see it are: -
... look at the far end of the bar where it connects to the slide trip. If it's loose there see if you put a bush into the pivot to take up the slack. Also (as Paul indicates) look at the back where the main pivot axle twists and see if you can shorten the gap between the limb on that axle and the connecting arm on the clock so it starts to push it earlier. I have seen occasions when somebody has drilled and tapped the reset limb on the back axle to take a bolt that could be wound in to take up the gap.

I'm around on Thursday if you want another pair of eyes, one manky arm and a big sledgehammer to assist.

BP |/XX\|
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coppinpr
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Re: Reel spin issue

Post by coppinpr »

I suppose it could be a weak mainspring not pulling the clock to its fully wound position. :!?!:
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badpenny
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Re: Reel spin issue

Post by badpenny »

If this was my machine and my problem I'd check the suspects I've previously mentioned first.

However if we're going to add more possibilities to the mix, then I guess it's worth addressing the
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before somebody else does.
I was intending to PM The OP and see if he'd checked the Dog & Anvil as it also has a direct action on when the cycle fires, and could be firing the cycle before it's had a chance to set everything up from the previous play.
I haven't done so yet, not because I haven't confidence in his ability, in fact he has a strong engineering slant and I guess he will soon be the person to turn to for beginners. Anyone who can get to grips with the abomination that is Columbia Gretchen as fast as he has deserves respect.

The reason I haven't pointed a finger in that direction before is because of the last time I did. It helped the person concerned but it was the four others who were following the thread, didn't have problems but decided to have a fiddle about anyway. They ended up at the best with machines that barely cycled and at the worst mechanisms that were total seized. Resulting in putting great strain on delicate cast parts around the ratchet necessitating in dangerous finger ripping fiddling to strip down the right hand side of the mech while it is so tight and under strain that you're only safe if you let your Mother-in-law do it while you're visiting a mate in the next county.
It took about three weeks of phone calls and emails/photos to get them all out of the mire they'd waded into.
Not a one of them thanked me as they all seemed to consider it my fault. (You know who you are!)
So .…..
At your own risk, if anyone wants to investigate the essential operation that is "Adjusting the Dog & Anvil" then either search in the box top right hand corner of this page, or go to Here for one of the threads And read everything carefully.
However if you are not to be trusted and in the habit of standing in a bucket of water before changing light bulbs or fuses then follow this link first Practice this, but don't come running to me afterwards!!

Good luck
BP !!ESCAPE!!
chris rideout
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Re: Reel spin issue

Post by chris rideout »

geordy55 wrote: Tue Sep 24, 2019 5:48 pm Can anyone advise on any method of adjustment? I’m comparing it with a genuine Mills mech and cannot work out why one retracts fully while the other does not.
I recall a similar problem when I lived on the Isle of Wight and collecting old bandits was in its infancy (mid 1970s). The stepped link arm between the timing lever and the clock needed to be bent slightly to lengthen it.

The payout finger release lever might have been adjusted afterwards because messing around with one part often means another part needs to be set to compensate or the timing error will appear elsewhere.
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